Container



Jan. 12, 1943. c, w, vo ET AL 2,307,902

CONTAINER Filed July 22, 1959 INVENTORS Clarence W Vogz {1 2310 E. Lakso 30a, WM M ATTORNEYS Patented 1;...- 12,1943

Clarence W.

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This application is -a continuation Alllllt 19,1935, 110W wt-N0. 2,177,918 issued storage and'dispensingmaterial.

Containers erthe a. when'made en tirely of; thin flexible material such as Pliofiimf are'somew'hat diflicuit to handle especially whenfllled, the extreme flexibility and 'slightelasticity of this material are apt to develop leaks atithe corners and seams especially when subjected to rough treatment.-

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I in part of our co-pending applicationiseriai No. 86,772, flied layer ott'ransp'arent material to which it is atl tach'ed, longitudinal corners of thecon taine'r'a'gainst abrasion, puncture or other U by rough or careless treatment fof the, -,container. y I As afurther feature, the container is provided at pothenils with transverse seals, which anchor the inner fold edges of the infolds at said seals to limit outward distention of said infoids when thecontainer is .fllled. The length of each seal The forming of the end seals and seams is by i the application of heata'nd pressure, and it is desirable to protect the material to prevent it from sticking to the heated member by which sealing heat pressure is applied. Furthermore, direct application of sealing heat to the flexible transparent material might cause overheating of said material.

One object of the present invention is to provide a container of thin flexible transparent material, free from the disadvantages above referred to, but nevertheless capable of being conveniently and economically manufactured in quantity by automatic machines. 1

Another object is to provide a container of thin flexible transparent material, which is flat when collapsed} and which assumes a substantially rectangular cross-section when filled. This rectangular formation is highly desirable, since it permits the filled container to be readily inserted in, and to substantially flt theusual rectangular carton or storage compartment.

As a feature of the present invention, the con- 'tainer comprises a tube of thin flexible transdesirable rigidity to the container, and forms a backing through which the sealing heat can be is substan tially the same as the widthof thereinforcing paper sheet, I which is substantially equal to the width of the side flat panels of the filled containen- =Thi'spaper sheet covers one side of each seal, so that the longitudinaliouter sides of the intolded panels are ancho adhesives or-by fusing to said P p 263 end seals. This anchoring of the flexiblema rial at the sections indicated,to gether with the reinforcing and'stiflening paper, serve'to restrain and confine distention .of the 'walls' of the con.-

taine'r, so that it. will assume .a rectangular crosssection when'fllied. I

Various-other objects, feat ures and advantages of the invention-will be apparent from the following Iparticula'r. description,.and from an inspection of the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. l is a perspective ofone' form of flexible container embodying the present invention, and shown filled and sealed,

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2-2 of Fig.1, but showing said bag partially collapsed,

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections through other forms of expanded containers'respectively, embodying the present invention,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view end'of another form of container embodying the present invention, andshown in collapsed condition,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper end ofanother' form of bag, embodying the present invention, and shown filled and sealed.

an outer carton for said bag being shown partion, and

Fig. '1 is a perspective view of the tube from.

which the bag of Fig. 6is made.

It must be understood, that. in the drawing the several sheets or strips are shown of exaggerated thickness to facilitate a clearer disclosure -Intheform shown inFigs. land2, the bag applied'to the superposed. layers of transparent material during the process-of manufacture. fThisipap'er sheet also protects the underlying. October 31, l939,;.and to bags or other containers, formed of-thidlfiexible sheet material, and adapted, for use in 'the packing, shipment,. f liquid, plastic or other one comprises sheets II and I3 of impervious flexible sheet material, which may be sealed by heat and pressure, or by the use of adhesive or solvents. For instance, it may be material sold under the name of Pliofilm, vwhich is made from a chlorinated rubber compound, and which is thermoplastic and readily vulcanized or sealed at a temperature of approximately 115 C., so that overlapping sections thereof may be sealed together by application of heat and pressure. Other analogous thin flexible transparent sheet material might be employed, as for instance, heat-scalable Cellophane, or even Cellophane which is not heat-scalable, where it is satisfactory or convenient to employ adhesive informing the seams.

The sheet II of Pliofilm or other material referred to has its side sections I2 heat-sealed to the edge portions of a narrower sheet of Pliofilm I3 along its entire length to form the tube. The sheet II is tucked inwardly from the sides of the sheet I 3 to form infolds I4, two of such infolds being shown on each side. These infolds I4 are shown narrow, so that the inner fold edges of one pair of infolds do not abut or overlap the inner edges of the opposite pair of infolds, but are spaced a substantial distance from said latter edges.

Adhes'ively or otherwise secured to the Pliofilm sheet I3 to form a laminated wall therewith is a reinforcing sheet I5, made of paper or other flexible substantially opaque sheet material, which will not be injuriously afiected by the application of suflicient heat and pressure to effect sealing, fusing or vulcanizing of the Pliofilm. In order that the corners of the bag along the side edges of the sheet I5 be protected when the bag is filled. said sheet I5 extends beyond the side edges of the Pliofilm sheet I3 to form marginal extensions I 8, and portions of the side sections I2 of the "Pliofilm sheet II project outwardly beyond the side edges" of said sheet I3, and are directly glued, cemented or autogenously welded at 'A to said marginal extensions. Such sealing by attachment of the sheet II directly to the paper sheet I5 at the corners has a reinforcing effect, which will compensate for any weakening resulting from heating and softening of the Pliofilm at the corners. Cemented or otherwise secured to the panel portion of the "Pliofilm sheet II opposite to the sheet I3 is a sheet I8 of paper or analogous material. This paper sheet desirably extends beyond the outer edges of the infolds I4, so that when a filled container is placed in a tray or compar ent, the marginal extensions 20 of said strip beyond said infolds will fold along the side walls formed by said infolds I4, and thereby protect the longitudinal corners of the bag from direct contact-with foreign matter, which may have collected in the corners of the tray compartment.

5 This paper sheet I8 as well as sheet I5 also serves tto r'educc the possibility of injurious abrasion or a ccidntal puncture of the Pliofilm faces of the bag to which they are applied.

The bag may be formed as a continuous tube,

' which is progressively collapsed and sealed longi- 'tudin'ally at the edges, and transversely at'spaced pointsalong the length thereof, and which is then transversely cut intermediate of the" ends of the sealed portion, so that the portion of the sealed areaon one side of the line of severance forms the bottom seal 2| across-the entire width of the bag, while the portion of the sealed area on the outer side of the line of severance forms the 'side seals 22 in the top of the next succeeding bag,

said side seals being formed by the fusing of the infolds I4 together, and to the opposed panel sections of the sheets II and I3, and forming an opening therebetween through which the bag may be filled.

After the bag has been filled, the opening thereof between the infolds is permanently sealed by heat sealing together the facing Pliofilm" linings of said opening along a transverse strip 23, extending to the side seals 22. This sealing is efiected by heat and pressure, so that all the superposed layers of "Pliofilm" are autogenously bonded together.

During the heat sealing operations referred to, the heated members are applied directly to the paper sheets I5 or I8, and not to the Pliofilm layers. Although the end seals consist of two thicknesses of Pliofilm at the center, and seven thicknesses of Pliofilm at the sides, the paper sheets I5 or I8 prevent overheating of the center portion of the "Plioiilm sheets during heat seal ing.

The two paper sheets I5 and I6 on opposite side of the container serve not only for the purpose referred to, but also serve to protectively cover the seams between the sheet II and the sheet I3, and if desired to carry advertising or other printed matter.

When the container is empty and collapsed with the two opposite transparent sides infolded. all of the exposed surfaces of the container will be completely covered and protected by the flat, stiifening, or reinforcing sheets I5 and I8 on the other two sides.

The fiat bottom and top seals 2i and 22, extending across the full width of the collapsed container, anchor the edges of the infolds I4 at said seals against outward distention, the anchoring points of said infold edges to the upper side seals 22 being indicated at B. When the container'is filled, this anchoring feature 'restrains the outward distention of the infolds ll, so that they do not extend any substantial distance beyond the side edges of the paper sheet I5,

Between these seals 2| and 22, the infolds I4 are anchored at A along the longitudinal side edges thereof to the paper sheet I5 as already indicated. These lines A of anchorage extend to the end seals 2| and 22, and continue along said seals to the points B. This interconnection of anchorage lines provides a restraining encirclement, which confines distention of the side walls of the container when filled, so that it will assume a generally rectangular shape.

The paper sheet I5, covering the two seals 2| and 22, serves not only as an anchoring means for the outer side edges of the infolds I4 as already indicated, but due to its comparative stillness co-operates with the other paper sheet I8 toassist in forming and maintaining the filled container in rectangular shape. A container so shaped will readily fit in the rectangular carton in which the container is usually packaged, and lends itself easily to multiple storage in a tray even without an outer carton.

In one method of filling the container, 9. filling funnel is inserted into the opening between the side seals 22, and is withdrawn after the filling is completed. The seal along the strip 23 is then formed between the side seals 22 to close the opening.

Another advantage of the present construction is that this opening automatically closes when the filling funnel is removed. Due to the comparative stiffness of the paper reinforcing sheets I5 and I8, tending to straighten said sheets out 3,397,909 into flat position, the two opposed flat panel sec-V secured to such tions of. the fllling opening automatically come 7 together to close after the filling funnel is removed. This facilitates the sealing of said openin as it permit the heat sealing device to be applied directly to the container without requiring. a any special means to first a close the mouth" formed an outer casing made up of the strips 1!,

.II and "a, and an independent inner casing formed solely by the sheet 2!, the two casings being permanently secured together.

In-I'ig. 4 isshown an alternative construction," "in which an inner Pliofllmsheet 35 is bent to. form three sides of the container, and an-outer "Pliofllm" sheet ll isalso bent to form three sidea By turning inwardly the edges of eachsheet' ll and I, and assembling the sheets with the. channels facing in opposite directions. and heat sealing each of the inturnededges of one sheet to the adjacent sheet. a' tubular casing is formed having:

two opposite sides, eachiormed of twolayers of the thin flexible, transparent sheet material. The

oppositeedges to the'sheet 28 by narrow sealing lines or areas 21, preferably effected by the application of heat and pressure. The body portion of each strip It is preferably unattached to the body of the sheet 28. The edge portions of the sheet 2| beyond the strips are brought .to-

gether in overlapping relationship. and heat sealed to form a longitudinal lap seam II, sothat said sheet will form a tube. The laminated strips as described may be of infinite length. and maybe progressively formed and sealed as already described with reference to the construction of Figs. 1 and 2. t

The portion of the laminated sheet covered by the strips 26 willform two opposite walls of the tube and of double thickness. The double thickness of the other two walls of the tube are formed by strips 80 and 30a of paper or analogous stiffer, tougher and desirably opaque sheet material, and these may be brought into properassembly with the formed tube after the sealing oi the seam 2|,

. although the strip lllc may be applied to thesheet 25 before the latter is folded around a mandrel into tubular form. I,

The strips 30 and 30a are sealed in place preferably substantially throughout their area, either by an adhesive coating on the inner surface of strips. ll and 30a of the stiffer opaque material are applied and glued in place to cover the singlev layer sides, and to cover. conceal and reinforce the seams 21. This container when collapsed has the sides infolded like the constructionoi Fig. 3. to bringthe opposed panels carrying the strips Ill and Ila into close overlapping position.

In Fig. "5 is shown a form of bag, in which a strip of "Plio'film" or analogous material has its opposed longitudinal side edges 4| heat sealed together in overlapping relationship to form a fin. projecting from the middle oi one oi the panels if. A sheet loipaper or analogous material is adhesively. or otherwise secured to the strip 40 on the panel I. and two narrow paper sheets 6- and 4| extend over and are adhesively secured'tothe strip ll on the respective segments of the panel ll, with the adjacent sides 4! of said paper sheets extending over and attached to the respective faces of the fin. The sideedges of the sheet 40- are infolded when the bag is collapsed, and the paper sheets 43, 48 and 46 have their side edges 0 extending around the corners of the tube, to. reinforce and protect said corners against possible injury.

said strip, or by partial softening of the inner layer during heating, although other sealing means maybe employed. and protectively cover the seams 11 and 28. The side sections of the tube formed by the double thickness of the strips 2i and the sheet II are tucked in by single or double infolds respectively when the bag is collapsed, so that the transparent section of the tube is protected and-concealed by the paper strips 30 and Ila as in the construction of Figs. 1 and 2.. The ends of the tube are sealed in the manner similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 to form the completed bag, with the anchoring features by which the bag assumes a rectangular cross-section when fllled, and the stiffening features by which the filling operation is facilitated. In the construction of Fig. 3, the longitudinal anchoring of the "Pllofllm material is to both paper sheets Ill and 30a near the side edges of said sheets, so that a more effective control of the rectangular shape of the container is obtained than with the construction of Figs. 1-

and 2.

The strips 30 and 30a are desirably slightly wider than the tube in expanded condition. so as to present edge portions I I extending slightly be- The bottom of the bag has a seal (not shown) extending across the full width thereof. At the top, a. seal similar to the spaced side seals 22 of Fig. 1 may be provided, or the top may be sealed across its full' width, and the fllling opening formed in some other part of the bag. In this manner, the bag has anchorage features similar to those described with reference to the construction of Figs. 1 to 4, to assure formationof the bag into rectagular cross-section when filled.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a type of bag, which is shown as nested in'an outer comparatively stiff carton. In this construction, the bag comprises a strip ill of Plioiilm" or analogous material, having its opposite edges heat sealed together to form a longitudinal lap seam II. This tube in collapsed position forms infolded sides, and a pair of opposed panels 52 and 53, the seam Ii extending along the latter panel. Adhesively secured to and covering this panel 53 including the seam Si is a sheet 54 of paper or analogous material, wider than said panel, and having its projecting edge sections 85 wrapped around the corners of the container to protect said corners.

yond the other two side walls. and serving to protect the corners as shown in Fig. 3. The strips 2' are of such width and the shape of the expanded container is such, that the edge portions of the said strip which are sealed to the strip or sheet 2! fold around the corners. Thus the seams I] are The tube structure shown in Fig. 7 is hermetie .cally sealed at its lower end across the full width thereof substantially. as already indicated with reference to the other constructions, and may be fllled through its upper open end while in a suit able outer carton I! made of comparatively still f cardboard as shown in Fig. 6. This upper end canthen be suitably heat sealed as shown in Fig. 6, so that the flexible container protected by the outer rectangular carton It may be safely shipped f I covered by sheets a and m. and the latter are is and stored.

The bag may be first sealed at the ends, and then filled through an opening 60, which may be Plug ed or closed in any suitable manner.

The end seals, in conjunction with the paper sheet 54, afford the anchorage features by which the bag will assume a substantially rectangular cross-section.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely difierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising a tube of thin flexible transparent sheet material, said tube being approximately oi rectangular cross-section when expanded, and having two opposed sides infolded and the other two flat sides close together when collapsed, and an outer sheet of stifler substantially opaque material secured to and protectively covering one of said latter sides, and having its side edges extending beyond the edges of said side.

2. A container comprising a tube of thin flexible transparent sheet material, said tube being approximately of rectangular cross-section when expanded, and having two opposed sides infolded and the other two sides close together when collapsed, and outer sheets of stifler substantially opaque material secured to and protectively covering said latter sides, while the infolded sections of said tube remain uncovered by said stiffer sheets.

3. A container comprising a tube of thin flexible transparent sheet material, said tube being approximately of rectangular cross-section when expanded, and having two opposed sides infolded and the other two flat sides close together when collapsed, and an outer sheet of stifier substantially opaque material secured to and protectively covering one of said latter sides, and having its side edges extending laterally beyond the corresponding longitudinal corners of said tube to protect said corners. I

4. A container comprising a tube of thin flexible transparent sheet material, said tube being approximately of rectangular cross-section when expanded, and having two opposed sides infolded and the other two flat sides close together when collapsed, and sheets of stiffer substantially opaque material secured to and protectively covering said latter sides, while the infolded sections of said tube remain uncovered by said stifler sheets, the outer side edges of said latter sheets extending laterally beyond the corresponding longitudinal comers of said tube to protect said corners.

5. A container comprising a tube of Pliofllm, rectangular in cross-section when expanded, and having two opposed sides infolded and the other two flat sides close together when collapsed, and outer paper sheets secured to and protectively covering said latter sides, while the infolded sections of said tube remain uncovered by said paper sheets, the outer side edges of said paper sheets extending laterally beyond the corresponding longitudinal comers of said tube to protect said corners.

6. A container comprising a tube of thin flexible transparent sheet material, having two opposed infolded panels between a pair of opposed flat panels when collapsed, and having a transverse seal at the bottom, extending substantially across the full width of said collapsed tube, said seal anchoring thereat the inner fold edges of said infolded panels to restrain substantial outward distention of said latter panels beyond the sides of said flat panels, and an outer sheet of stifier substantially opaque material secured to and protectively covering one of said flat panels, and of approximately the width of said panel, and extending substantially across the full width thereof.

7. A container comprising a tube of thin flexible transparent sheet material, having two opposed infolded panels between a pair of opposed flat panels when collapsed, and having a transverse seal at the bottom extending substantially across the full width of the collapsed tube, and a seal at the top extending to the sides of said tube, said seals anchoring thereat the inner fold edges of said infolded panels to restrain substantial outward distention of said latter panels beyond the sides of said flat panels, and an outer sheet of stiffer substantially opaque material secured to, protectively covering, and of approximately the width of one of said flat panels, and extending substantially across the full width of said collapsed tube.

8. A container comprising a tube of thin flexible transparent sheet material, having two opposed intolded panels between a pair of opposed flat panels when collapsed, and having a trans verse seal at the bottom extending substantially across the full width of said collapsed tube, said seal anchoring thereat the inner fold edges of said infolded panels to restrain substantial outward distention of said latter panels beyond the sides of said flat panels, and an outer sheet or stifier substantially opaque material secured to and protectively covering one of said flat panels, and extending substantially across the full width of said seal, said tube being secured to'said outer sheet longitudinally along the outer sides of said infolded panels.

9. A container comprising a tube of thin flexible transparent sheet material, having two opposed infolded panels between a pair of opposed flat panels when collapsed, and having a transverse seal at the bottom extending substantially across the full width of the collapsed tube, and a seal at the top extending to the sides of said tube, said seals anchoring thereat the inner fold edges of said infolded panels to restrain substantial outward distention of said latter panels beyond the sides of said flat panels, and an outer sheetof stifler substantially opaque material secured to and protectively covering one of said flat panels, and extending substantially across the full width of said collapsed tube, said tube being secured to said outer sheet longitudinally along the outer sides of said infolded panels up to said seals.

CLARENCE W. VOGT. EINO E. LAKSO. 

